Diffusion of Innovations: How Adoption of New Technology Spreads in Society

Abstract

This chapter sought to explore and explicate what the Diffusion of Innovations Theory is about. In addition, the chapter discusses the characteristics of innovators, the five-step process that an individual goes through when adopting a new idea or product, five adopter categories, the relevance of the theory to the LIS field, and concludes with the criticism of the theory. It cannot be denied that human beings do not routinely adopt new ideas or products. They make a conscious decision of whether to adopt or not. The Diffusion of Innovations theory outlines five characteristics that determine people’s adoption of a new idea or innovation, namely: relative advantage; compatibility; complexity; trialability; and observability. This theory is used to explain how an idea or object is spread and adopted by many different individuals, be it in an organizational or societal context. The chapter presents the basic characteristics of individuals in a population and places them in one of the five adopter categories to determine the most effective way to appeal to that specific audience. Each category explains how a group of individuals assesses a new idea or technology and provides a five-step process that an individual goes through when adopting something new, namely: awareness, interest, evaluation, trial and adoption. Moreover, the chapter discusses how the Diffusion of Innovations theory describes the pattern and speed at which new ideas, practices, or products spread through a population. Thus, it groups individuals into five categories of how they adopt new ideas or technology, namely: innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority, and laggards. The chapter also argues that the Diffusion of Innovations theory is relevant to the LIS field. It further argues that in general, the LIS field has adopted numerous innovations to automate a wide range of administrative and technical processes, build databases, and networks and provide better services to library users. Therefore, the diffusion and adoption of technology have become imperative for the efficient management of modern libraries and LIS as a field in general. The chapter concludes with a criticism of the theory.